Laminated solid-state image pickup device

ABSTRACT

Compatibility of high sensitivity with low remaining images, and low crosstalk can be achieved by a laminated solid-state image pickup device, which includes accumulating portions for accumulating electric signals, reading units for reading the electric signals, connecting members formed in contact with the accumulating portions, and a photoconductive film, and by a method for manufacturing the device. The photoconductive film is made of a non-crystalline semiconductor, and is configured by laminating a carrier multiplication layer, a light absorbing layer, a charge injection inhibiting layer of a second conduction type. Each of the connecting members is made of a semiconductor layer of a first conduction type, intrinsic or having a low impurity density, surrounded by a semiconductor layer of the second conduction type or a conductive material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a laminated solid-state image pickup device,and a method for manufacturing the device, and more particularly, to alaminated solid-state image pickup device having a photoconductive filmon a substrate, and a method for manufacturing the device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recently, solid-state image pickup devices utilizing semiconductors havebeen increasingly used. In accordance with this tendency, solid-stateimage pickup devices with higher performance and lower prices have beenrequested.

For example, CCD's (charge-coupled devices) and MOS (metal oxidesemiconductor) solid-state image pickup devices are known as solid-stateimage pickup devices. In many of such solid-state image pickup devices,a photosensing unit, a signal charge storage unit, and peripheralcircuits, such as a signal reading circuit, a main scanning circuit, asignal processing circuit and the like, are formed in the samesemiconductor substrate.

In such solid-state image pickup devices, considerably excellentcharacteristics are obtained in the performance of residual images, andcrosstalk between pixels. However, as the device has higher definition,the photosensing area for each pixel is reduced. That is, thephotosensing area per unit area, i.e., the effective numerical aperture,is reduced. As a result, the problem that it is difficult to obtain asufficient sensitivity, in some cases, arises.

In order to provide higher sensitivity, there have been proposals ofsubstantially increasing the numerical aperture by forming aphotoconductive film on a semiconductor substrate, in which theabove-described (semiconductor) circuits are formed, as a photosensingdevice (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open Application (Kokai) Nos.49-91116 (1974) and 51-10715 (1976)). A solid-state image pickup devicehaving such a configuration is termed a laminated solid-state imagepickup device.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a laminated solid-stateimage pickup device.

In FIG. 1, there are shown a p-type silicon substrate 1, a vertical CCD2, an n-type cathode layer 3, trasfer gate electrodes 4, interlayerinsulating films 5, a first pixel electrode 6, a second pixel electrode7, a photoconductive film 8, and a transparent conductive film 9.

In the case of FIG. 1, a interline-transfer-type CCD image pickup deviceis formed on the p-type silicon substrate 1. The n-type cathode layer 3constitutes an accumulating diode for accumulating signal charges. Thevertical CCD 2, comprising an n-type buried-channel CCD, is formed closeto the n-type cathode layer 3 of the accumulating diode. The first pixelelectrode 6 is connected to the n-type cathode layer 3 of theaccumulating diode, and the second pixel electrode 7 is connected to thefirst pixel electrode 6.

The transparent conductive film 9 is formed on the second pixelelectrode 7 via the photoconductive film 8. The photoconductive film 8sandwiched between the transparent conductive film 9 and the secondpixel electrode 7 functions as a photoelectric conversion unit. Thetransfer gate electrodes 4 are made of polysilicon or the like, andtransfer electric charges from the accumulating diode to the CCDchannel. In order to prevent unnecessary short circuit between theelectrodes and the like, interlayer insulating films 5 are provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, in a typical laminated solid-state image pickupdevice, the n-type cathode layer (an accumulating portion) 3, formed inthe substrate 1, and the photoconductive layer 8 are connected by thepixel electrodes 6 and 7.

In the laminated solid-state image pickup device having theconfiguration shown in FIG. 1, the numerical aperture can besubstantially 100%. Hence, the device of this configuration isadvantageous over a non-laminated solid-state image pickup device fromthe viewpoint of an increase in the sensitivity. However, in order torealize an untrahigh-definition solid-state image pickup device havingmore than two-million pixels, the sensitivity must be further increased.

Furthermore, the problems that crosstalk between pixels increasesbecause the distance between adjacent pixel electrodes is reduced, andthat capacitive residual images caused by the capacitance of thephotoconductive film are produced, may arise. Such problems areobstacles for providing the performance required for obtaining an imagehaving higher picture quality.

Laminated solid-state image pickup devices which solve theabove-described problems have been proposed.

For example, in order to reduce crosstalk between pixels, a proposal ofproviding a control electrode for preventing crosstalk between pixelelectrodes is described in Japanese Patent Laid-open Application (Kokai)No. 4-30577 (1992).

In order to reduce capacitive residual images, a proposal of configuringa connecting conductor for connecting pixel electrodes to afirst-conduction-type layer (for example, an n-type-semiconductor layer)of a signal charge storage diode by a first-conduction-typesemiconductor, and providing a second-conduction-type layer from a sideof the connecting conductor to a second-conduction-type channel stopperlayer (for example, a p-type-semiconductor layer) via the surface of afirst-conduction-type impurity layer of the accumulating diode isdescribed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Application (Kokai) No. 63-66965(1988).

A high-sensitivity and high-response-speed photoelectric transducerincluding a photoconductive region having a carrier multiplicationfunction is described in European Patent Laid-open Application No.EP437633.

A laminated solid-state image pickup device, in which a photoconductiveregion having a carrier multiplication function is connected to anaccumulating capacitive portion using a semiconductive or metallicconnecting member, is described in European Patent Laid-open ApplicationNo. EP542152.

However, the above-described solid-state iamge pickup devices still haveroom for improvement with respect to reduction in residual-imagecharacteristics and crosstalk between pixels.

In order to improve residial-image characteristics, it is effective toreduce capacitive residual images. In order to reduce capacitiveresidual images, it is desirable to completely deplete a region betweenthe photoconductive film and the accumulating capacitive portion.

However, in the laminated solid-state image pickup devices described inJapanese Patent Laid-open Application (Kokai) No. 4-30577 (1992), andEuropean Patent Laid-open Application Nos. EP437633 and EP542152, aphotoconductive layer is electrically connected to an accumulatingcapacitive portion via a metallic electrode or a semiconductive layerincluding a high-density impurity, and there is no idea of providing acompletely depleted region. Hence, there is room for solving the problemof capacitive residual images.

The laminated solid-state image pickup device described in JapanesePatent Laid-open Application (Kokai) No. 63-66965 (1988) has a schematiccross-sectional view shown in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 2, components having the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1are the same components as those shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, there areshown a p-type a-Si (amorphous silicon) layer 10, an n-typesingle-crystal Si whisker (a connecting member) 11, an n-type a-Sielectrode (a pixel electrode) 12, an undoped a-Si layer (aphotoconductive film) 13, a p-type a-SiC film 14, and a p⁺ -typechannel-stopper layer 15.

As described above, a connecting conductor for connecting the n-typea-Si electrode 12 to the n-type cathode layer 3, serving as thefirst-conduction-type layer of the signal charge accumulating diode, isformed by the n-type single-crystal Si whisker 11, and the p-type a-Silayer 10 is provided at the circumferential side of the n-typesingle-crystal Si whisker 11. The p-type a-Si layer 10 is connected tothe p⁺ -type channel stopper layer 15.

In the photoelectric transducer shown in FIG. 2, in order tosubstantially increase the numerical aperture, the n-type a-Si electrode12 is used as the pixel electrode. The area of the n-type a-Si electrode12 is greater than the area of the connecting portion of the connectingconductor connected to the accumulating diode. Accordingly, when thedistribution of the elctric field obtained when a bias voltage isapplied to the transparent conductive layer on the photoconductive layeris considered, it is very difficult to deplete the photoconductive filmover the entire area of the pixel electrode, and to transportphotocarriers, which have reached the pixel electrode, in the lateraldirection of the pixel electrode to the accumulating capacitive portionof the accumulating diode. Hence, although residual images can bereduced, there is still room for improvement.

In the device described in Japanese Patent Laid-open Application (Kokai)No. 63-66965 (1988), the single-crystal Si whisker connecting conductoris formed after forming a CCD, using a vapor/liquid/solid-phase growthmethod (VLS method). In this production method, restrictions are presentfor the process temperature for circuitry in the substrate, and ahigh-temperature process for forming a connecting conductor having a lowdefect density cannot be used. Accordingly, in the production methoddescribed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Application (Kokai) No. 63-66965(1988), it is difficult to sufficiently reduce defects in the connectingconductor, and there is room for improvement in residual-imagecharacteristics.

In the laminated solid-state image pickup devices shown in FIGS. 1 and 2and described in the foregoing patent applications, as the number ofpixels per unit area increases, i.e., as the density of pixelsincreases, the distance between adjacent pixels is reduced, therebycausing, in some cases, the problem of crosstalk between adjacentpixels.

Also in laminated solid-state image pickup devices in which the area ofthe pixel electrode is substantially the same as the area of theaccumulating capacitive portion of the circuitry in the substrate,sufficient characteristics cannot, in some cases, be obtained due toleakage between pixels via defects present in the interface between thephotoconductive film and the insulating film.

As described above, it is difficult to simultaneously reduce capacitiveresidual images and crosstalk between pixels in laminated solid-stateimage pickup devices, and there is still room for improvement inlaminated solid-state image pickup devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in consideration of theabove-described problems.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a laminatedsolid-state image pickup device in which residual images and crosstalkbetween pixels are reduced, and a method for manufacturing the device.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a laminatedsolid-state image pickup device which can obtain a high-quality imagewith high sensitivity, and a method for manufacturing the device.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide alaminated solid-state image pickup device in which an electric field isuniformly applied from a photoconductive film to an accumulatingcapacitive portion, and a depleted state can be realized, and a methodfor manufacturing the device.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a laminatedsolid-state image pickup device in which a connecting member fortransporting carriers can be manufactured with a low defect density, anda method for manufacturing the device.

According to one aspect, the present invention, which achieves theseobjectives, relates to a laminated solid-state image pickup devicecomprising a semiconductor circuit substrate, comprising accumulatingportions for accumulating electric signals, and reading means forreading the electric signals, an insulating layer formed on thesemiconductor circuit substrate except at at least a part of theaccumulating portions, connecting members formed in contact with theaccumulating portions, and a photoconductive film laminated on theinsulating layer and the connecting members. The photoconductive filmcomprises a non-crystalline semiconductor configured by laminating acarrier multiplication layer, a light absorbing layer, a chargeinjection inhibiting layer of a second conduction type. Each of theconnecting members comprises a first semiconductor region of a firstconduction type, instrinsic or having a low impurity density, surroundedby a second semiconductor region of the second conduction type.

According to another aspect, the present invention relates to alaminated solid-state image pickup device comprising a semiconductorcircuit substrate, comprising accumulating portions for accumulatingelectric signals, and reading means for reading the electric signals, aninsulating layer formed on the semiconductor circuit substrate except atat least a part of the accumulating portions, connecting members formedin contact with the accumulating portions, and a photoconductive filmlaminated on the insulating layer and the connecting members. Thephotoconductive film comprises a non-crystalline semiconductorconfigured by laminating a carrier multiplication layer, a lightabsorbing layer, a charge injection inhibiting layer of a secondconduction type. Each of the connecting members comprises a firstsemiconductor region of a first conduction type, instrinsic or having alow impurity density, surrounded by a conductive material.

According to still another aspect, the present invention relates to amethod for manufacturing a laminated solid-state image pickup device,comprising the steps of forming a first semiconductor region of a firstconduction type, instrinsic or having a low impurity density, onaccumulating portions, for accumulating electric signals, in asemiconductor circuit substrate, comprising the accumulating portionsand at least a part of reading means for reading the electric signals,forming a second semiconductor region of a second conduction type aroundthe first semiconductor region, and forming a photoconductive film,comprising a carrier multiplication layer, a light absorbing layer and acharge injection inhibiting layer, on the first semiconductor region andthe second semiconductor region.

According to yet another aspect, the present invention relates to amethod for manufacturing a laminated solid-state image pickup device,comprising the steps of forming a first semiconductor region of a firstconduction type, instrinsic or having a low impurity density, onaccumulating portions, for accumulating electric signals, in asemiconductor circuit substrate, comprising the accumulating portions,for accumulating electric signals, on a semiconductor circuit substrate,comprising the accumulating portions and at least a part of readingmeans for reading the electric signals, forming a conductive materialaround the first semiconductor region, and forming a photoconductivefilm, comprising a carrier multiplication layer, a light absorbing layerand a charge injection inhibiting layer, on the first semiconductorregion and the conductive material.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages and features of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a conventionallaminated solid-state image pickup device;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-secional view illustrating a conventionallaminated solid-state image pickup device in which capacitive residualimages are improved;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the structure ofa laminated solid-state image pickup device according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4(a) is a schematic diagram illustrating the energy band of aphotoconductive film of the laminated solid-state image pickup deviceshown in FIG. 3 when no bias voltage is applied;

FIG. 4(b) is a schematic diagram illustrating the energy band of thephotoconductive film shown in FIG. 4(a) when a reverse bias voltage isapplied;

FIGS. 5(a) through 5(g) are diagrams illustrating the processes of amethod for manufacturing the laminated solid-state image pickup deviceshown in FIG. 3 according to another embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the structure ofa laminated solid-state image pickup device according to still anotherembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 7(a) through 7(h) are diagrams illustrating the processes of amethod for manufacturing the laminated solid-state image pickup deviceshown in FIG. 6 according to yet another embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 8 through 10 are schematic cross-sectional views illustratinglaminated solid-state image pickup devices according to still anotherembodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an equivalent circuit for one pixel ofthe laminated solid-state image pickup device shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating equivalent circuitry of the laminatedsolid-state image pickup device shown in FIG. 10; and

FIGS. 13 through 15 are schematic cross-sectional views illustratinglaminated solid-state image pickup devices according to still anotherembodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A description will now be provided of laminated solid-state image pickupdevices and methods for manufactuing the devices according to preferredembodiments of the present invention.

In the present invention, a connecting member for connecting asemiconductor substrate to a photoconductive film comprises a firstsemiconductor region, intrinsic or having an impurity for providing afirst conduction type, surrounded by a second semiconductor region,having an impurity for providing a second conduction type, or aconductive material.

The connecting member is provided by forming the second semiconductorregion or the conductive material after forming the first semiconductorregion. It is desirable to fix the second semiconductor region or theconductive material of the connecting member to a desired potential.

It is not always necessary to provide the second semiconductor region orthe conductive material around the first semiconductor region withoutbeing interrupted. A part of the second semiconductor region or theconductive material may be interrupted, provided that the functions andeffects which will be described later are obtained.

A laminated solid-state image pickup device according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention will now be described together withthe functions thereof.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the structure ofthe laminated solid-state image pickup device of the embodiment.

In FIG. 3, there are shown a semiconductor substrate 601, a signalcharge accumulating portion (accumulating capacitance) 602, and acircuit formation region portion, comprising a signal reading circuitand the like. Although a CCD is illustrated in FIG. 3, an MOStransistor, an SIT (static induction transistor), a bipolar transistor,or the like may be used. There are also shown an insulating film 604,and a connecting member 605. A photoconductive layer 600 comprises amultiplication layer 607, a light absorbing layer 608 and a chargeinjection inhibiting layer 609 laminated in this sequence.

That is, FIG. 3 illustrates the laminated solid-state image pickupdevice obtained by laminating the photoconductive layer, having themultiplication layer, on the semiconductor circuit substrate.

One end of the connecting member 605 is connected to the signal chargeaccumulating portion 602, and the other end is connected to themultiplication layer 607. The connecting member 605 comprises a carriertransport layer (a first semiconductor region) 605-1, comprising asemiconductor region that includes a very small amount of impuritycapable of controlling the conduction type of the semiconductor tointrinsic or a first conduction type, or that includes an impuritycapable of controlling the conduction type of the semiconductor to thefirst conduction type more than an impurity capable of controlling theconduction type of the semiconductor to a second conduction type (whichis a conduction type inverse to the first conduction type), and abarrier layer 605-2, comprising a second semiconductor region thatincludes an impurity capable of controlling the conduction type of thesemiconductor to the second conduction type, or that includes animpurity capable of controlling the conduction type of the semiconductorto the second conduction type more than an impurity capable ofcontrolling the conduction type of the semiconductor to the firstconduction type, around the circumferential side of the carriertransport layer 605-1. The density of the impurity included in the firstsemiconductor region is preferably equal to or less than 10¹⁷ (cm⁻³),and more preferably, equal to or less than 10¹⁶ (cm⁻³).

From the viewpoint of being completely depleted, the carrier transportlayer 605-1 preferably comprises an intrinsic semiconductor or asemiconductor having a low impurity density close to an intrinsicsemiconductor. The impurity density in the carrier transport layer 605-1may be constant or continuously change.

Although in FIG. 3 the barrier layer 605-2 is connected to a channelstopper 606, the barrier layer 605-2 is not necessarily connected to thechannel stopper 606. However, it is preferred that the potential of thebarrier layer 605-2 is fixed.

The multiplication layer 807 connected to the connecting member 605multiplies photocarriers generated in the light absorbing layer 608, andincludes at least one step-back structure (a stepwise transition portionof the energy band formed when semiconductor layers, whose band gap iscontinuously changed from a narrow side to a wide side, are superposed).Ionization of electrons is accelerated utilizing this structure. Thecharge injection prohibiting layer 609 is provided in contact with asurface of the light absorbing layer 608 opposite to a surfacecontacting the multiplication layer 607. The charge injection inhibitinglayer (blocking layer) 609 does not function as a barrier in the runningdirection of carriers, which provide a signal, taken from the lightabsorbing layer 608 or the multiplication layer 607, and is in ohmiccontact with a transparent conductive layer 610, but functions as abarrier for the running of dark-current carriers in a direction reverseto the running direction of the above-described carriers.

Next, the schematic energy band of the photoconductive film 600 will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b).

FIG. 4(a) is a diagram illustrating the schematic energy band of thephotoconductive film 600 when no bias voltage is applied, and FIG. 4(b)is a diagram illustrating the schematic energy band of thephotoconductive film 600 when a reverse bias voltage is applied.

As shown in FIG. 4(a), when no bias voltage is applied, the energy bandof the photoconductive film 600 has a narrow band gap of Eg2 at the sideof the light absorbing layer 608 having a band gap of Eg1. A pluralityof (five in the case of FIG. 4(a)) laminated step-back-structure layers611, in each of which the band gap increases from Eg2 to Eg3, arelaminated, so that, as described above, a barrier for inhibiting themovement of carriers in a direction opposite to the side of themultiplication layer 607 contacting the light absorbing layer 608 isprovided.

The thickness of the step-back-structure layer 611 is determined so asto cause carriers to run without being recombined. The thickness ispreferably at least 50 Å and equal to or less than 1 μm, and morepreferably, at least 200 Å and equal to or less than 1000 Å.

FIG. 4(b) illustrates the schematic energy band of the photoconductivefilm 600 when a reverse bias voltage is applied to the photoconductivefilm 600 having the energy-band structure shown in FIG. 4(a).

That is, the light absorbing layer 608 and the multiplication layer 607are inclined by the function of the electric field. Since adjacentlayers of the step-back-structure layers 611 of the multiplication layer607 are connected at portions having different band gaps (i.e., Eg2 andEg3), a step (ΔEc) corresponding to the difference between the band gapsis formed. If the value ΔEc is greater than the ionization energy,electrons are ionized to generate electron-hole pairs, whereby amultiplication function is provided.

The light absorbing layer 608 is provided closer to incident light thanthe multiplication layer 607. A non-single-crystalline semiconductormaterial, for example, an amorphous semiconductor material, such as a-Si(H, X), a-SiGe (H, X), a-SiC (H, X), a-SiGeC (H, X) or the like, amicrocrystalline semiconductor material, such as μc(microcrystalline)-Si (H, X), μc-SiGe (H, X), μc-SiC (H, X) or the like,or a polycrystalline semiconductor material, such as poly-Si, poly-SiGe,poly-SiC or the like, can be used for the light-absorbing layer 608.

In order to provide sufficient sensitivity for visible light, the bandgap Eg1 of the light absorbing layer 608 is preferably at least 1.1 eVand equal to or less than 1.8 eV, and more preferably, at least 1.2 eVand equal to or less than 1.8 eV.

In order to provide sensitivity also for infrared light, the band gapEg1 is preferably at least 0.6 eV and equal to or less than 1.8 eV, andmore preferably, at least 0.8 eV and equal to or less than 1.2 eV.

In order to provide sensitivity also for ultraviolet light, the band bapEg1 is preferably at least 1.1 eV and equal to or less than 3.2 eV, andmore preferably, at least 1.2 eV and equal to or less than 3.0 eV.

In order to provide high sensitivity for light having a desiredwavelength and to efficiently operate within a wider range, the band gapEg1 may not be uniform over the entire layer, but may be nonuniformlychanged.

It is desirable that the thickness of the light absorbing layer 608 isenough for absorbing the wavelength of light to be subjected tophotoelectric conversion.

In the present invention, a microcrystalline material indicates amaterial in which fine crystals having diameters of at least 30 Å andequal to or less than 500 Å are dispersed in an amorphous material.

The multiplication layer 607 is provided behind the light absorbinglayer 608 as seen from the light incident side. When photocarriersgenerated in the light absorbing layer 608 are transported, the numberof carriers are multiplied due to an avalanche effect.

The multiplication layer 607 has regions where carriers are drifted andregions where carriers are inonized. The multiplication layer 607 maycomprise a material having a large dielectric constant and a materialhaving a small dielectric constant which are alternately arranged. Forexample, layers having a large dielectric constant and layers having asmall dielectric constant may be formed by changing the compositionratio of elements constituting the material. Alternatively, a regionhaving a large dielectric constant and a region having a smalldielectric constant may be formed within a single layer.

More specifically, as in the case of the above-described light absorbinglayer 608, a non-single-crystalline material, for example, an amorphousmaterial, such as a-Si (H, X), a-SiGe (H, X), a-SiC (H, X), a-SiGeC (H,X) or the like, a microcrystalline material, such as μc-Si (H, X),μc-SiGe (H, X), μc-SiC (H, X) or the like, or a polycrystallinematerial, such as poly-Si, poly-SiGe, poly-SiC or the like, can be usedfor the multiplication layer 607.

The charge injection inhibiting layer 609 is provided in front of thelight absorbing layer 608 as seen from the light incident side. Thecharge injection inhibiting layer 609 may comprise the same material asthe light absorbing layer 608 or the multiplication layer 607, to whichan impurity capable of controlling the conductivity is added. Thethickness of the charge injection inhibiting layer 609 is preferably atleast 50 Å and equal to or less than 2000 Å, and more preferably, atleast 100 Å and equal to or less than 300 Å.

The amount of the impurity added to the charge injection inhibitinglayer 609 is determined so as to provide the charge injection inhibitinglayer 609 with ohmic contact with the transparent conductive layer 610and the above-described capability to block carrier injection. Theconductivity of the charge injection inhibiting laye 609 is preferablyat least 10⁻⁴ S/cm, and more preferably, at least 10⁻³ S/cm.

As for the material capable of controlling the conductivity, in the caseof an amorphous-silicon-system material, an element which belongs to thegroup III of the periodic table is selected when obtaining a p-typematerial, and an element which belongs to the group V of the periodictable is selected when obtaining an n-type material.

More specifically, while B (boron), Al (alminum), Ga (gallium), In(indium), Tl (thallium) and the like can be cited as elements thatbelong to the group III of the periodic table, B and Ga are preferred.Similarly, while P (phosphor), As (arsenic), Sb (antimony), Bi (bismuth)and the like can be cited as elements that belong to the group V of theperiodic table, P and Sb are preferred.

Oxigen (O) and nitrogen (N) may be added to each layer constituting thephotoconductive layer 600 whenever necessary.

The charge injection inhibiting layer 609 may be made of a metal whichis in Schottky contact with the adjacent semiconductor layer. Althoughin the present embodiment a case in which the multiplication layer 607comprises five step-back-structure layers is illustrated, the presentinvention is not limited to such a case, but the multiplication layer607 may comprises a single layer or at least two layers.

As described above, by forming the photoconductive film 600 by anon-single-crystalline semiconductor material, the film can be formed ata low temperature (for example, 200°-300° C.) using plasma CVD or thelike, and the band gap can be easily controlled by changing thecomposition ratio of elements. Accordingly, the multiplication layerhaving the step-back structure can be easily formed, and a relativelystable step-back structure can be realized because, for example,unnecessary diffusion of atoms due to heat is suppressed. Such anapproach is advantageous in laminating a plurality of layers.

Although a description has been provided of the case in which the bandgap of each layer constituting the multiplication layer continuouslychanges, the band gap may be changed stepwise. As described above, theband gap of the light absorbing layer may be constant or continuouslychange.

Next, a description will be provided of a method for manufacturing thelaminated solid-state image pickup device shown in FIG. 3 according toanother embodiment of the present invention, with reference to FIGS.5(a)-5(g).

(a) First, a region of a desired conduction type is formed on asemiconductor substrate made of single-crystal silicon or the like. (Inthe present embodiment, an n-type region is formed as a region of afirst conduction type, and a p-type region is formed as a region of asecond conduction type.) A generally adopted method, such as ionimplantation, thermal diffusion or the like, can be used for thatpurpose. (See FIG. 5(a).)

(b) Then, a first oxide film 621, whose thickness is greater than thatof a connecting member to be formed, is formed, and a contact hole 620is formed at a portion where the connecting member is to be formed. (SeeFIG. 5(b).)

(c) A material for forming a connecting member 605 having a desiredthickness is formed within the contact hole 620, and the first oxidefilm 621 is removed. A selective crystal growth method is suitable forforming the connecting member 605. An impurity may be added in theconnecting member 605, or may not intentionally be added. Impuritydiffusion from the substrate may occur. (See FIG. 5(c).)

(d) a second oxide film 622 is deposited. After removing the secondoxide film 622 at least from the circumference of the connecting member605, an impurity region of the second conduction type is formed bydoping boron (B) atoms. The impurity region may be formed not only atthe circumference of the connecting member 605, but also at the surfaceof the accumulating capacitance, the connecting portion with the channelstopper or the like whenever necessary. More specifically, a generallyadopted method, such as thermal diffusion, plasma doping or the like maybe used for forming such an impurity region. (See FIG. 5(d).)

(e) The second oxide film 622 is removed, and a desired signal readingcircuit is formed. In FIG. 5(e), a CCD is illustrated as such a signalreading circuit. However, the circuit is not limited to the CCD in thepresent embodiment. (See FIG. 5(e).)

(f) An interlayer insulating film 604 is deposited to provide a flatsurface, and the surface of the connecting member 605 is exposed. Theflat surface is obtained, for example, by forming a flat surface bycoating a resist on an oxide film, and performing RIE (reactive ionetching) under conditions in which the etching rate equals for theresist and the silicon oxide film (etchback). (See FIG. 5(f).)

(g) After sequentially forming a multiplication layer 607, a lightabsorbing layer 608, a charge injection inhibiting layer 609 to providea photoconductive film 600, a transparent conductive layer 610 is formedas a transparent electrode.

According to the above-described procedures, the laminated solid-stateimage pickup device shown in FIG. 3 can be manufactured.

By adopting the above-described manufacturing process, the connectingmember for transporting carriers can be formed at a high temperatureprocess. Hence, it is possible to provide a connecting member having alow defect density, which is very effective in reducing residual images.

In the laminated solid-state image pickup device shown in FIG. 3, aneffective photosensing region comprises a region indicated by brokenlines, so that the electric field is uniformly applied from thephotoconductive film to the accumulating portion, and a depleted statecan be realized.

That is, in the device shown in FIG. 3, the barrier layer 605-2 providedaround the connecting member 605 provides a high potential for carrierstransported to the accumulating capacitance 602, so that a completelydepleted state can be realized between the photoconductive film 600 andthe accumulating capacitance 602, and capacitive residual images aredrastically reduced.

In general, in laminated solid-state image pickup devices, thephotosensitivity decreases as the area of the photosensing region isreduced. In the present embodiment, however, since the multiplicationlayer 607 having a function of multiplying photocarriers is used, higherphotosensitivity can be obtained. For example, if the multiplicationlayer 607 comprises five step-back-structure layers 611, photocarriersare multiplied by 2⁵ =32 times.

Accordingly, even if the area of the photosensing region of thelaminated solid-state image pickup device of the present embodiment isreduced to 1/10 of the area of the photosensing region of a laminatedsolid-state image pickup device not having a multiplication layer, thephotosensitivity increases by substantially about three times. It is, ofcourse, possible to further increase the photosensitivity by increasingthe number of step-back-structure layers.

In addition, in the laminated solid-state image pickup device of thepresent embodiment, a region between adjacent photosensing regionssubstantially becomes a pixel separation region, and the photoconductivefilm 600 on the barrier layer 605-2 provides a potential barrier in thedirection of adjacent pixels for carriers transported in the directionof the accumulating capacitance 602. Hence, it is possible to reducecrosstalk between pixels, and to realize higher resolution.

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a laminated solid-stateimage pickup device according to still another embodiment of the presentinvention.

In FIG. 6, components having the same reference numerals as in FIG. 3are the same components as those shown in FIG. 3.

The laminated solid-state image pickup device shown in FIG. 6 differsfrom that shown in FIG. 3 in that a connecting member 605 has aconfiguration which is different from that of the connecting membershown in FIG. 3.

That is, the connecting member 605 of the laminated solid-state imagepickup device shown in FIG. 6 comprises a carrier transport layer 605-1,comprising a semiconductor region that includes a very small amount ofimpurity capable of controlling the conduction type of the semiconductorto intrinsic or a first conduction type, or that includes an impuritycapable of controlling the conduction type of the semiconductor to thefirst conduction type more than an impurity capable of controlling theconduction type of the semiconductor to a second conduction type, aninsulating layer 605-3 surrounding the circumferential side of thecarrier transport layer 605-1, and a conductive material 605-4 providedaround the insulating layer 605-3. The carrier transport layer 605-1 canbe formed in the same manner as described with reference to FIG. 3.

In the device shown in FIG. 6, the barrier layer 605-2 shown in FIG. 3is not provided around the carrier transport layer 605-1. Instead of thebarrier layer 605-2, the insulating layer 605-3 and the conductivematerial 605-4 are provided.

An inorganic insulating material is preferred for the insulating layer605-3. More specifically, an oxide, such as silicon oxide or the like,or a nitride, such as silicon nitride or the like, can be preferablyused for the insulating layer 605-3.

As for the conductive material 605-4, a metal, such as alminum (Al),chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), molybdenum(Mo), platinum (Pt), gold (Au) or the like, an alloy which is made ofsome of these metals or which includes at least one of these metals, alow-resistivity semiconductor, such as polysilicon or the like, acompound, such as molybdenum silicide, platinum silicide, aluminumsilicide or the like, which can be generally used as an interconnectionmaterial in the field of semiconductor technology, can be used.

Also in this embodiment, the connecting member 605 is made of aninstrinsic semiconductor, or a semiconductor having a low impuritydensity close to an intrinsic semiconductor. The impurity density may beconstant or continuously change.

The photoconductive film described with reference to FIG. 3 can, ofcourse, be used as the photoconductive film of the laminated solid-stateimage pickup device shown in FIG. 6.

In FIG. 6, the conductive material 605-4 is connected to a region 606-1of the second conduction type on the surface of the accumulatingcapacitance, and a channel stopper 606 of the second conduction typechannel stopper 606. However, the conductive material 605-4 is notnecessarily electrically connected to these portions. The potential ofthe conductive material 605-4 is preferably fixed. However, thepotential may be changed in synchronization with an operation, such asreset, charge acculation, reading or the like, of the laminatedsolid-state image pickup device.

Next, a description will be provided of a process of manufacturing thelaminated solid-state image pickup device shown in FIG. 6, withreference to FIGS. 7(a) through 7(h).

(a) First, a region of a desired conduction type is formed on asemiconductor substrate made of single-crystal silicon or the like. Agenerally adopted method, such as ion implantation, thermal diffusion orthe like, can be used for that purpose. (See FIG. 7(a).)

(b) Then, a first oxide film 621, whose thickness is greater than thatof a connecting member to be formed, is deposited on the semiconductorsubstrate, and a contact hole 620 is formed at a portion where theconnecting member is to be formed. (see FIG. 7(b).)

(c) A material for forming a connecting member 605 (a material forforming a channel transport layer in the present emodiment) having adesired thickness is formed within the contact hole 620, and the firstoxide film 621 is removed. A selective crystal growth method is suitablefor forming the connecting member 605. An impurity may be added in theconnecting member 605, or may not intentionally be added. Impuritydiffusion from the substrate may occur. (See FIG. 7(c).)

(d) A second oxide film, which is to become an insulating layer 605-3,is formed on the circumferential side of the material for forming theconnecting member 605. In order to provide an excellent interfacebetween the semiconductor and the oxide film of the connecting member605, a thermal oxidation process is preferred for forming the oxidefilm. Thereafter, contact holes 633 are opened on portions of the p⁺regions 606-1 by RIE. (See FIG. 7(d).)

(e) A conductive material is formed on the contact portions of the p⁺regions 606-1 and the oxide film (the insulating layer 605-3) on thecircumferential side of the connecting member. A commonly used methodfor forming a thin film, such as vacuum deposition, sputtering, CVD(chemical vapor deposition) or the like, can be used for forming theconductive material. However, from the viewpoint of depositing theconductive material on the circumferece of the connecting member, CVD,which has an excellent step coverage property, is preferred. Thereafter,unnecessary portions other than the circumferential side of theconnecting member and unnecessary portions of an oxide film used as amask for depositing the conductive material are etched off. (See FIG.7(e).)

(f) A desired signal reading circuit is formed. In FIG. 7(f), a CCD isillustrated as such a signal reading circuit. However, the circuit isnot limited to the CCD in the present embodiment. (See FIG. 7(f).)

(g) An interlayer insulating film 604 is deposited to provide a flatsurface, and the surface of the connecting member 605 is exposed. Theflat surface is obtained, for example, by forming a flat surface bycoating a resist on an oxide film, and performing RIE under conditionsin which the etching rate equals for the resist and the silicon oxidefilm (etchback). (See FIG. 7(g).)

(h) After sequentially forming a multiplication layer 607, a lightabsorbing layer 608, a charge injection inhibiting layer 609 to providea photoconductive film 600, a transparent conductive layer 610 is formedas a transparent electrode.

In the present embodiment, the conductive material 605-4 is electricallyconnected to the p⁺ region 606-1 on the surface of the chargeaccumulating portion and the channel stopper 606. However, theseportions are not necessarily electrically connected, and a potential maybe applied independently to the conductive member 605-4.

As in the case of the laminated solid-state image pickup device shown inFIG. 3, in the laminated solid-state image pickup device shown in FIG.6, an effective photosensing region comprises a region indicated bybroken lines.

By providing the conductive material 605-4 around the connecting member605 with a desired potential, the neighborhood of the interface betweenthe carrier transport layer 605-1 and the insulating layer 605-3 of theconnecting member 605 can provide a high potential for carrierstransported to the accumulating capacitance.

It is thereby possible to realize a complete depleted state between thephotoconductive film 600 and the accumulating capacitance portion, sothat capacitive residual images can be drastically reduced.

In general, the photosensitivity decreases as the area of thephotosensing region is reduced. Also in the present embodiment, sincethe multiplication layer 607 having a function of multiplyingphotocarriers is used, higher photosensitivity can be obtained. Forexample, if the multiplication layer 607 comprises fivestep-back-structure layers 611, photocarriers are multiplied by 2⁵ =32times.

In the laminated solid-state image pickup device shown in FIG. 6, apixel separation region substantially increases because it is situatedat a portion separated from the connecting member 605. By providing adesired potential to the conductive material 608-4, a potential barrierfor carriers transported in the direction of the accumulatingcapacitance is formed on the photoconductive film on the conductivematerial in the direction of adjacent pixels. Hence, crosstalk betweenpixels is reduced, and higher resolution can be realised.

According to the manufacturing method described with reference to FIGS.7(a) through 7(h), the carrier transport layer of the connecting memberfor transporting carriers can be formed by a high-temperature process,and the carrier transport layer and the interface between the carriertransport layer and the insulating layer having a low defect density canbe realized, so that residual images can be greatly reduced.

As described above, in the present embodiment, it is possible to providethe laminated solid-state image pickup device with high sensitivity, lowresidual images and higher resolution, which have previously been verydifficult to realize.

EXAMPLE 1

In the present embodiment, a laminated solid-state image pickup device,in which a photoconductive film is laminated on a semiconductor circuitsubstrate having a CCD formed therein, shown in FIG. 8 is manufactured.

First, a p⁺ region, serving as a channel stopper 606, and n regions,serving as an accumulating diode 602 and a vertical CCD 603, are formedon a p-type single-crystal silicon substrate 601.

Thereafter, an oxide film, which is thicker than a connecting member605, is formed, contact holes are opened on the accumulating diode 602,and the connecting member 605 is formed by selective crystal growthusing low-pressure CVD. The selective crystal growth is performed underthe conditions of a substrate temperature of 950° C., 150 SLM (standardliter per minute) of hydrogen, 0.5 SLM of dichlorosilane, 1.8 SLM ofhydrogen chloride, a pressure of 80 Torr, and the deposition speed is0.3 μm/min.

After forming the connecting member 605, the oxide is removed byetching. Thereafter, an oxide film is formed again, patterning isperformed, and a p⁺ region, serving as a barrier layer 605-2, is formedin the circumferential side of the connecting member 605 and the sufaceportion of the accumulating diode 602 up to the channel stopper region.The p⁺ region is formed by heating the substrate in the atmosphere ofBBr. First, boron is deposited under the conditions of 1.0 SLM ofnitrogen, 0.2 SLM of oxigen, 120 mg of BBr, and a substrate temperatureof 1000° C., and is then diffused for 20 minutes at 1100° C.

Thereafter, the oxide film is removed, whereby the connecting memberused in the present embodiment can be formed on the semiconductorsubstrate.

Then, a gate oxide film and silicon electrodes 4 are formed using anordinary CCD manufacturing process.

Subsequently, an oxide film, serving as an interlayer insulating film604, is formed, and a flat surface is provided using an etchback method.When the surface of the connecting member 605 has appeared, etching isstopped.

Thereafter, a multiplication layer 607, a light absorbing layer 608 anda charge injection inhibiting layer 609 are formed using acapacitive-coupling plasma CVD apparatus. A step-back structure 611comprises a composition changing layer in which the composition ratiosbetween carbon and silicon and between germanium and silicon arecontinuously changed so that a continuous band gap from amorphoussilicon carbide to amorphous silicon germanium is provided.

The composition changing layer is manufactured in the following manner.That is, SiH₄, GeH₄, CH₄ and H₂ are used as raw-material gases. The flowrate of each gas is controlled by an independent mass-flow controller(hereinafter termed an "MFC"), and the gas is supplied to a film formingchamber. The MFC is controlled by a computer, and can control the flowrate of each gas so as to provide a band gap having a desired profile.

First, film deposition is started using SiH₄, CH₄ and H₂ as raw-materialgases. After the start of the film deposition, the flow rate of CH₄ isreduced at a constant rate. When the flow rate of CH₄ has become 0, theflow rate of GeH₄ is increased at a constant rate. When the thickness ofthe multiplication layer 607 has reached a desired value, discharge isstopped. That is, the flow rates of GeH₄ and CH₄ are controlled so thata band gap having a desired profile is obtained for a desired thicknessof the composition changing layer.

In the present embodiment, the flow rate control is performed so thatthe thickness of each step-back-structure layer 611 constituting themultiplication layer 607 is about 200 Å, and the minimum band-gap valueEg1 is 1.4 eV, and the maximum band-gap value Eg2 is 3.0 eV.

By repeating the above-described processing, five step-back-structurelayers 611 are manufactured. Thereafter, siH₄ and H₂ are selected asraw-material gases, and a amorphous-silicon film, serving as the lightabsorbing layer 608, 1 μm thick is formed. Then, B₂ H₆ is added as araw-material gas, and a p-type amorphous-silicon film, serving as thecharge injection inhibiting layer 609, 500 Å thick is formed.

After consecutively forming the multiplication layer 607, the lightabsorbing layer 608 and the charge injection inhibiting layer 609 in theabove-described manner, an ITO (indium-tin oxide) film, serving as atransparent electrode 610, is formed by sputtering. Thus, the laminatedsolid-state image pickup device according to the manufacturing method ofthe present embodiment can be obtained. Although in the above-describedembodiment the thickness of each step-back-structure layer 611 is about200 Å, any other thickness mat be adopted within a range in whichcarriers can run without being recombined. However, a thinner layer ispreferred because the value of the applied bias voltage can be reduced.Although in the above-described embodiment the thickness of the lightabsorbing laye 608 is about 1 μm, any other thickness may be adopted,provided that incident light does not reach the multiplication layer 607after passing through the light absorbing layer 608.

The following table indicates a result of comparison of residual-imagecharacteristics of the third field of the laminated solid-state imagepickup device according to the manufacturing method of the presentembodiment (Example 1) with residual-image characteristics of the thirdfield of the laminated solid-state image pickup device shown in FIG. 1(Comparative Example 1).

    ______________________________________                                        Light output (nA)                                                                          Example 1 Comparative Example 1                                  ______________________________________                                        100          0.25%     2.5%                                                   200          0.22%     1.9%                                                   300          0.19%     1.5%                                                   ______________________________________                                    

It can be considerd that this effect of reducing residual images iscaused, particularly, by the use of the high-quality connecting memberformed in the high-temperature process. Hence, it is verified that themanufacturing method of the present embodiment is effective forproviding a completely depleted state.

Although in the present embodiment a substrate having a CCDsemiconductor circuit formed therein is used, any other substrate havinga device, such as an MOS transistor, an SIT, a bipolar transistor or thelike, formed therein may be used.

EXAMPLE 2

In the present embodiment, a description will be provided of a laminatedsolid-state image pickup device, in which a photoconductive film islaminated on a semiconductor circuit substrate having an MOS transistorformed therein.

Accordingly, the device of the present embodiment is substantially thesame as that of the above-described Example 1 except that the signalreading circuit comprises the MOS transistor.

In FIG. 9, a p⁺ region, serving as a channel stopper 606, and an nregion, serving as a source 602, and an n region, serving as a drain603, are formed on a p-type single-crystal silicon substrate 601. Theregion 202 also functions as an accumulating capacitance.

Thereafter, a connecting member 605 is formed, and a p⁺ region, servingas a barrier layer 605-2, is formed in the circumferential side of theconnecting member 605 and the suface portion of the region 602 up to achannel stopper region. The barrier layer 605-2 is formed by plasmadoping. That is, the substrate is held in a capacitive-coupling plasmaCVD apparatus, and boron is implanted into the surface of the connectingmember 605 by flowing a hydrogen gas and a diborane gas and applyinghigh-frequency power. Thereafter, the substrate is heated in a nitrogenatmosphere at 1000° C. to activate boron.

After forming the connecting member 605, a gate oxide film and apolysilicon film, serving as a gate 204 and an electrode 201,respectively, are formed. After depositing an oxide film, a contact holeis opened at a drain region, and an electrode 205 is formed. Then, aninterlayer insulating film is deposited to provide a flat surface.Etching is stopped when the surface of the connecting member 605 hasappeared.

Thereafter, a multiplication layer 607, a light absorbing layer 608 anda charge injection inhibiting layer 609 are formed. The multiplicationlayer 607 having step-back structures comprises composition changinglayers in each of which the composition ratios between carbon andsilicon abd between germanium and silicon is continuously changed sothat a continuous band gap from amorphous silicon carbide to amorphoussilicon germanium is provided. The light absorbing layer 608 comprisesan amorphous-silicon film, and the charge injection inhibiting layer 609comprises a p-type amorphous-silicon-carbide film.

After consecutively forming the multiplication layer 607, the lightabsorbing layer 608 and the charge injection inhibiting layer 609, anITO film, serving as a transparent electrode 610, is formed bysputtering. Thus, the laminated solid-state image pickup deviceaccording to the manufacturing method of the present embodiment can beobtained.

EXAMPLE 3

In the present embodiment, a bipolar-transistor-type solid-state imagepickup device is used as a semiconductor circuit substrate, and aphotoconductive layer is laminated thereon. FIG. 10 is a schematiccross-sectional view of the neighborhood of a photosensing portion ofthe present embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an equivalentcircuit of a single pixel. FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustratingequivalent circuitry of the entire device.

In FIG. 10, an n⁻ layer, serving as a collector region 502, is formed onan n-type silicon substrate 501 by epitaxial growth. A p base region 503is formed in the n⁻ region 502, and an n⁺ emitter region 604 is formedin the p base region 503, so that a bipolar transistor is provided. Ap⁻⁻ connecting member 510 is formed on the p base region 503, and an nregion, serving as a barrier layer 510-1, is formed around the p⁻⁻connecting member 510. The p base region is separated from the adjacentpixel, and a gate electrode 506 is formed between the p base region 503and the adjacent p base region via an oxide film 505. Thus, a p-channelMOS transistor is provided by making two adjacent p base regions 503 asource region and a drain region. The gate electrode 506 also functionsas a capacitor for controlling the potential of the p base regions 503.

After forming an insulating layer 507, an emitter electrode 508 isformed. Thereafter, an insulating layer 509 is formed to provide a flatsurface. Then the surface of the connecting member 510 is exposed byetching the insulating layers 507 and 509 and the oxide layer 505.

Thereafter, by high-frequency plasma CVD, three composition changinglayers 611, each having a step-back structure, constituting amultiplication layer 607, an amorphous-silicon film, serving as a lightabsorbing layer 608, and an n-type amorphous-silicon film, serving as acharge injection inhibiting layer 514, are consecutively formed, and anITO film, serving as a transparent electrode 610, is formed. Eachcomposition changing layer 611 comprises amorphous silicon germanium andmicrocrystalline silicon carbide. A collector electrode 516 is in ohmiccontact with the back of the substrate 501. Although not illustrated,the barrier layer 510-1 is connected to the substrate 501.

FIG. 11 is diagram illustrating an equivalent circuit of a single pixelhaving the above-described structure. A p-channel MOS transistor 732, acapacitor 733 and a photoelectric transducer 734 are connected to thebase of a bipolar transistor 731 made of crystalline silicon. There arealso shown a terminal 735 for providing the base with a potential, ap-channel MOS transistor 732, a terminal 736 for driving the capacitor733, a sensor electrode 737, an emitter electrode 738, and a collectorelectrode 739.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of circuitry inwhich pixel cells 740, each having the structure shown in FIGS. 10 and11, are arranged in a 3×3 two-dimensional matrix.

In FIG. 12, a collector electrode 741 and a sensor electrode 742 areprovided for each pixel cell 740.

The gate electrodes of p-MOS transistors and capacitor electrodes ineach row are connected to the corresponding one of drivinginterconnections 743, 743' and 743", and are connected to a verticalshift register (V.S.R) 744.

The emitter electrodes of p-MOS transistors in each column are connectedto the corresponding one of vertical interconnections 746, 746' and746". The vertical interconnections 746, 746' and 746" are connected toswitches 747, 747' and 747" for resetting electric charges in thevertical interconnections, and to reading switches 750, 750' and 750",respectively.

The gate electrodes of the reset switches 747, 747' and 747" arecommonly connected to a terminal 748 for applying vertical reset pulses,and the source electrodes of the reset switches 747, 747' and 747" areconnected to a terminal 749 for applying a vertical-line reset voltage.

The gate electrodes of the reading switches 750, 750' and 750" areconnected to a horizontal shift register (H.S.R) via interconnections751, 751' and 751", respectively, and the drain electrodes of thereading switches 750, 750' and 750" are connected to an output amplifier757 via a horizontal reading interconnection 753. The horizontal readinginterconnection 753 is connected to a switch 754 for resetting electriccharges in the horizontal reading interconnection 753.

The reset switch 754 is connected to a terminal 755 for applyinghorizontal-interconnection reset pulses, and to a terminal 756 forapplying a horizontal-interconnection reset voltage. The output of theamplifier 757 is taken from a terminal 758.

The operation of the device will now be briefly described with referenceto FIGS. 10 through 12.

In FIG. 10, incident light is absorbed by the light absorbing layer 608.Generated carriers are multiplied by the multiplication layer 607 andare accumulated within the base region 503. When a driving pulse outputfrom the vertical shift register 744 shown in FIG. 12 appears on thedriving interconnection 743, the base potential is raised via thecapacitor, and signal charges corresponding to the amounts of light aretaken out on the vertical interconnections 746, 746' and 746" from thepixels on the first row.

Thereafter, when scanning pulses have been sequentially output to theinterconnections 751, 751' and 751" from the horizontal shift register752, the switches 750, 750' and 750" are sequentially subjected toon-off control, and signals are output to the output terminal 758 viathe amplifier 757. At that time, the reset switch 754 is switched onwhen the switches 750, 750' and 750" are sequentially switched on, toremove residual electric charges in the horizontal interconnection 753.In the configuration of the present embodiment, reset in a completelydepleted state can be performed in each of these reset operations, sothat residual images due to insufficient reset can be reduced.

Thereafter, the vertical-line reset switches 747, 747' and 747" areswitched on, and residual electric charges in the vertialinterconnections 746, 746' and 746" are removed. When a pulse in thenegative direction is supplied from the vertical shift register 744 tothe driving interconnection 743, the p-MOS transistor of each pixel onthe first row is turned on, so that residual electric charges in thebase of the transistor are removed and the transistor is initialized.

Thereafter, a driving pulse output from the vertical shift register 744appears on the driving interconnection 743', and pixel signals on thesecond row are taken out in the same manner.

Then, the same processing is performed for signal charges of each pixelon the third row.

By repeating the above-described processing, the laminated solid-stateimage pickup device manufactured by the method of the present embodimentoperates.

EXAMPLE 4

A still another embodiment of the present invention will now bedescribed with reference to FIG. 13.

In the present embodiment, a laminated solid-state image pickup device,in which a photoconductive film is laminated on a semiconductor circuitsubstrate having a CCD formed therein, is manufactured.

First, a p⁺ region, serving as a channel stopper 606, and n regions,serving as an accumulating diode 602 and a vertical CCD 603, are formedon a p-type single-crystal silicon substrate 601.

Thereafter, an oxide film, which is thicker than a connecting member605, is formed, contact holes are opened on the accumulating diode 602,and a carrier transport layer, serving as a connecting member 605-1, isformed by selective crystal growth using low-pressure CVD. The selectivecrystal growth is performed under the conditions of a substratetemperature of 950° C., 150 SLM (standard liter per minute) of hydrogen,0.5 SLM of dichlorosilane, 1.8 SLM of hydrogen chloride, a pressure of80 Torr, and the deposition speed is 0.3 μm/min.

After forming the connecting member 605-1, the oxide is removed byetching. Thereafter, an gate oxide film 604-2 of the CCD, and an oxidefilm, serving as an insulating layer 605-4 around the connecting member605, are formed by thermal oxidation for 90 minutes at 1000° C. in anoxygen atmosphere, followed by annealing for 15 minutes at 1100° C. inan Ar atmosphere.

Thereafter, contact holes are opened on parts of the p⁺ region by RIE,and tungsten electrodes 605-3 are formed by thermal CVD at a depositiontemperature of 450° C. under a deposition pressure of 1.0 Torr with aWF₆ partial pressure of 0.11 Torr and a H₂ partial pressure of 0.3 Torr.Subsequently, tungsten portions other than the side of the connectingmember 605 are removed by etching.

Then, a gate oxide film and polysilicon electrodes 4 are formed using anordinary CCD manufacturing process. Subsequently, an oxide film, servingas an interlayer insulating film 604, is formed, and a flat surface isprovided using an etchback method. When the surface of the connectingmember 605-1 has appeared, etching is stopped.

Thereafter, a multiplication layer 607, a light absorbing layer 608 anda charge injection inhibiting layer 609 are formed using acapacitive-coupling plasma CVD apparatus. A step-back structure 611comprises a composition changing layer in which the composition ratiosbetween carbon and silicon and between germanium and silicon arecontinuously changed so that a continuous band gap from amorphoussilicon carbide to amorphous silicon germanium is provided.

The composition changing layer is manufactured in the following manner.That is, SiH₄, GeH₄, CH₄ and H₂ are used as raw-material gases. The flowrate of each gas is controlled by an independent MFC and the gas issupplied to a film forming chamber. The MFC is controlled by a computer,and can control the flow rate of each gas so as to provide a band gaphaving a desired profile.

First, film deposition is started using SiH₄, CH₄ and H₂ as raw-materialgases. After the start of the film deposition, the flow rate of CH₄ isreduced at a constant rate. When the flow rate of CH₄ has become 0, theflow rate of GeH₄ is increased at a constant rate. When the thickness ofthe multiplication layer 607 has reached a desired value, discharge isstopped. That is, the flow rates of GeH₄ and CH₄ are controlled so thata band gap having a desired profile is obtained for a desired thicknessof the composition changing layer.

In the present embodiment, the flow rate control is performed so thatthe thickness of each step-back-structure layer 611 constituting themultiplication layer 607 is about 200 Å, and the minimum band-gap valueEg1 is 1.4 eV, and the maximum band-gap value Eg2 is 3.0 eV.

By repeating the above-described processing, five step-back-structurelayers 611 are manufactured. Thereafter, siH₄ and H₂ are selected asraw-material gases, and a amorphous-silicon films serving as the lightabsorbing layer 608, 1 μm thick is formed. Then, B₂ H₆ is added as araw-material gas, and a p-type amorphous-silicon film, serving as thecharge injection inhibiting layer 609, 500 Å thick is formed.

After consecutively forming the multiplication layer 607, the lightabsorbing layer 608 and the charge injection inhibiting layer 609 in theabove-described manner, an ITO (indium-tin oxide) film, serving as atransparent electrode 610, is formed by sputtering. Thus, the laminatedsolid-state image pickup device according to the manufacturing method ofthe present embodiment can be obtained.

Although in the above-described embodiment the thickness of eachstep-back-structure layer 611 is about 200 Å, any other thickness may beadopted within a range in which carriers can run without beingrecombined. However, a thinner layer is preferred because the value ofthe applied bias voltage can be reduced. Although in the above-describedembodiment the thickness of the light absorbing laye 608 is about 1 μm,any other thickness may be adopted, provided that incident light doesnot reach the multiplication layer after passing through the lightabsorbing layer 608.

The following table indicates a result of comparison of residual-imagecharacteristics of the third field of the laminated solid-state imagepickup device according to the manufacturing method of the presentembodiment (Example 4) with residual-image characteristics of the thirdfield of the laminated solid-state image pickup device shown in FIG. 1(Comparative Example 2).

    ______________________________________                                        Light output (nA)                                                                          Example 4 Comparative Example 2                                  ______________________________________                                        100          0.27%     2.5%                                                   200          0.24%     1.9%                                                   300          0.22%     1.5%                                                   ______________________________________                                    

It can be considerd that this effect of reducing residual images iscaused, particularly, by the use of the high-quality connecting memberformed in the high-temperature process. Hence, it is verified that themanufacturing method of the present embodiment is effective forproviding completely depleted state.

Although in the present embodiment a substrate having a CCDsemiconductor circuit formed therein is used, any other substrate havinga device, such as an MOS transistor, an SIT, a bipolar transistor or thelike, formed therein may be used.

EXAMPLE 5

In the present embodiment, a description will be provided of a laminatedsolid-state image pickup device in which a photoconductive film islaminated on a semiconductor circuit substrate having an MOS transistorformed therein.

The device of the present embodiment is substantially the same as thatof the above-described Example 4 except that the signal reading circuitcomprises the MOS transistor.

In FIG. 14, a p⁺ region, serving as a channel stopper 606, and an nregion, serving as a source 602, and an n region, serving as a drain603, are formed on a p-type single-crystal silicon substrate 601. Theregion 202 also functions as an accumulating capacitance.

Thereafter, a carrier transport layer of a connecting member 605-1 isformed. Subsequently, in the same manner as in the case of Example 4, anoxide film, serving as an insulating layer 605-3, is formed around theconnecting member 605-1, and a gate oxide film 204 is formed.

Then, a polysilicon electrode 605-4 and a gate electrode 201 are formedby low-pressure CVD under the deposition conditions of 500° C. and 1Torr at a deposition rate of 75 Å/sec with SiH₄ /He=40%.

After depositing an interlayer insulating film, a contact hole is openedat a drain region, and a reading electrode 205 is formed. Then, anadditional interlayer insulating film is deposited to provide a flatsurface. Etching is stopped when the surface of the connecting memberhas appeared.

Thereafter, a multiplication layer 607, a light absorbing layer 608 anda charge injection inhibiting layer 609 are formed. The multiplicationlayer 607 having step-back structures comprises composition changinglayers in each of which the composition ratios between carbon andsilicon and between germanium and silicon is continuously changed sothat a continuous band gap from amorphous silicon carbide to amorphoussilicon germanium is provided. The light absorbing layer 608 comprisesan amorphous-silicon film, and the charge injection inhibiting layer 609comprises a p-type amorphous-silicon-carbide film.

After consecutively forming the multiplication layer 607, the lightabsorbing layer 608 and the charge injection inhibiting layer 609, anITO film, serving as a transparent electrode 610, is formed bysputtering. Thus, the laminated solid-state image pickup deviceaccording to the manufacturing method of the present embodiment can beobtained.

EXAMPLE 6

In the present embodiment, a bipolar-transistor-type solid-state imagepickup device is used as a semiconductor circuit substrate, and aphotoconductive layer is laminated thereon. FIG. 15 is a schematiccross-sectional view of the neighborhood of a photosensing portion ofthe present embodiment. The diagram illustrating an equivalent circuitof a single pixel shown in FIG. 11, and the block diagram illustratingequivalent circuitry of the entire device shown in FIG. 12 can also beused in the present embodiment.

In FIG. 15, an n⁻ layer, serving as a collector region 502, is formed onan n-type silicon substrate 501 by epitaxial growth. A p base region 503is formed in the n-region 502, and an n⁺ emitter region 504 is formed inthe p base region 503, so that a bipolar transistor is provided. A p⁻⁻connecting member 510 is formed on the p base region 503, and aninsulating layer 510-3 and a molybdenum silicide electrode 510-2 areformed around the p⁻⁻ connecting member 510 by the same process as thatused in the case of Example 4.

The p base region is separated from the adjacent pixel, and a gateelectrode 506 is formed between the p base region 503 and the adjacent pbase region via an oxide film 505. Thus, a p-channel MOS transistor isprovided by making two adjacent p base regions 503 a source region and adrain region. The gate electrode 506 also functions as a capacitor forcontrolling the potential of the p base regions 503.

After forming an insulating layer 507, an emitter electrode 508 isformed. Thereafter, an insulating layer 509 is formed to provide a flatsurface. Then, the surface of the connecting member 510 is exposed byetching the insulating layers 507 and 509 and the oxide layer 505.

Thereafter, by high-frequency plasma CVD, three composition changinglayers 611, each having a step-back structure, constituting amultiplication layer 607, an amorphous-silicon film, serving as a lightabsorbing layer 608, and an n-type amorphous-silicon film, serving as acharge injection inhibiting layer 514, are consecutively formed, and anITO film, serving as a transparent electrode 610, is formed. Eachcomposition changing later 611 comprises amorphous silicon germanium andmicrocrystalline silicon carbide.

A collector electrode 516 is in ohmic contact with the back of thesubstrate 501. Although not illustrated, the silicide electrode 510-2 isconnected to the substrate 501.

The configurations and operations of the diagram illustrating anequivalent circuit of a single pixel shown in FIG. 11, and the diagramillustrating equivalent circuitry of the entire device shown in FIG. 12are the same as those in the case of Example 3.

As described above, according to the present invention, a connectingmember for transporting carriers can be formed at a high-temperatureprocess, so that a connecting member having a low defect density can berealized, and residual images can be greatly reduced.

Since a reading unit is formed after the high-temperature process, thecircuit of the reading unit is not adversely influenced by thehigh-temperature process.

In the present invention, the electric field is uniformly applied from aphotoconductive film to an accumulating capacitance portion, and adepleted state can be realized.

In general, the photosensitivity decreases as the area of thephotosensing region is reduced. In the present invention, however, sincea multiplication layer having a function of multiplying photocarriers isused, higher photosensitivity can be obtained with the same area of thephotosensing region compared with a case in which such a multiplicationlayer is not used. For example, if the multiplication layer comprisesfive step-back-structure layers, photocarriers are multiplied by 2⁵ =32times.

Accordingly, even if the area of the photosensing region of thelaminated solid-state image pickup device of the present invention isreduced to 1/10 of the area of the photosensing region of a laminatedsolid-state image pickup device not having a multiplication layer, thephotosensitivity increases by substantially about three times. It is, ofcourse, possible to further increase the photosensitivity by increasingthe number of step-back-structure layers.

The laminated solid-state image pickup device of the present inventionis advantageous in that the pixel separation region is greater than thatof conventional laminated solid-state image pickup devices, andtherefore crosstalk between pixels is small.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possibleto provide a laminated solid-state image pickup device with highsensitivity and low remaining images which have previously beendifficult to realize, and to supply a high-definition, high-sensitivityand low-cost solid-state image pickup device.

The individual components shown in outline in the drawings are all wellknown in the laminated solid-state image pickup device arts and theirspecific construction and operation are not critical to the operation orthe best mode for carrying out the invention.

While the present invention has been described with respect to what ispresently considered to be the preferred embodiments, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiments. To the contrary, the present invention is intended to covervarious modifications and equivalent arrangements included within thespirit and scope of the appended claims. The scope of the followingclaims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompassall such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

What is claimed is:
 1. A laminated solid-state image pickup devicecomprising:a semiconductor circuit substrate, comprising accumulatingportions for accumulating electric signals, and reading means forreading the electric signals; an insulating layer formed on saidsemiconductor circuit substrate except at at least parts of saidaccumulating portions; connecting members formed in contact with saidaccumulating portions; and a photoconductive film laminated on saidinsulating layer and said connecting members, wherein saidphotoconductive film comprises a non-crystalline semiconductorconfigured by laminating a carrier multiplication layer, a lightabsorbing layer, a charge injection inhibiting layer of a secondconduction type, and wherein each of said connecting members comprises afirst semiconductor region of a first conduction type, instrinsic orhaving a low impurity density, surrounded by a second semiconductorregion of the second conduction type.
 2. A device according to claim 1,wherein each of said reading means comprises a device selected from aCCD (charge-coupled device), an MOS (metal oxide semiconductor)transistor, a static induction transistor, and a bipolar transistor. 3.A device according to claim 1, wherein said accumulating portions have afirst conductive type.
 4. A device according to claim 1, furthercomprising a transparent conductive layer on said photoconductive film.5. A device according to claim 1, wherein said non-crystallinesemiconductor includes silicon atoms.
 6. A device according to claim 1,wherein said connecting members include silicon atoms.
 7. A deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein said first semiconductor region of thefirst conduction type comprises a single crystal.
 8. A device accordingto claim 7, wherein the single crystal comprises silicon.
 9. A deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein said second semiconductor region of thesecond conduction type is connected to a channel stopper formed in saidsemiconductor circuit substrate.
 10. A device according to claim 1,wherein said second semiconductor region of the second conduction typeis connected to another semiconductor region of the same conduction typeformed in said semiconductor circuit substrate.
 11. A device accordingto claim 1, wherein said carrier multiplication layer multipliescarriers by an avalanche effect.
 12. A device according to claim 1,wherein said carrier multiplication layer has at least one step-backstructure.
 13. A device according to claim 1, wherein said carriermultiplication layer comprises at least one layer having a mininum bandgap of Eg2 and a maximum band gap of Eg3.
 14. A device according toclaim 13, wherein the band gap of the layer continuously changes fromEg2 to Eg3.
 15. A device according to claim 13, wherein the energydifference between Eg3 and Eg2 is equal to or greater than theionization energy.
 16. A device according to claim 1, wherein saidcarrier multiplication layer comprises a plurality of layers, eachhaving the minimum band gap Eg2 and the maximum band gap Eg3, andwherein the side of the minimum band gap Eg2 of at least one of theplurality of layers contacts the maximum band gap Eg3 of the adjacentlayer.
 17. A device according to claim 1, wherein said non-crystallinesemiconductor comprises one of an amorphous semiconductor, amicrocrystalline semiconductor and a polycrystalline semiconductor. 18.A device according to claim 12, wherein the thickness of a layer forforming the step-back structure is at least 50 Å and equal to or lessthan 1 μm.
 19. A device according to claim 1, wherein said lightabsorbing layer is provided at a side closer to incident light than saidcarrier multiplication layer.
 20. A device according to claim 1, whereinsaid connecting member is provided on the entire surfaces of saidaccumulating portions.
 21. A laminated solid-state image pickup devicecomprising:a semiconductor circuit substrate, comprising accumulatingportions for accumulating electric signals, and reading means forreading the electric signals; an insulating layer formed on saidsemiconductor circuit substrate except at at least parts of saidaccumulating portions; connecting members formed in contact with saidaccumulating portions; and a photoconductive film laminated on saidinsulating layer and said connecting members, wherein saidphotoconductive film comprises a non-crystalline semiconductorconfigured by laminating a carrier multiplication layer, a lightabsorbing layer, a charge injection inhibiting layer of a secondconduction type, and wherein each of said connecting members comprises afirst semiconductor region of a first conduction type, instrinsic orhaving a low impurity density, surrounded by a conductive material. 22.A device according to claim 21, wherein each of said reading meanscomprises a device selected from a CCD, an MOS transistor, a staticinduction transistor, and a bipolar transistor.
 23. A device accordingto claim 21, wherein said accumulating portions have a first conductivetype.
 24. A device according to claim 21, further comprising atransparent conductive layer on said photoconductive film.
 25. A deviceaccording to claim 21, wherein said non-crystalline semiconductorincludes silicon atoms.
 26. A device according to claim 21, wherein saidconnecting members include silicon atoms.
 27. A device according toclaim 21, wherein said first semiconductor region of the firstconduction type comprises a single crystal.
 28. A device according toclaim 27, wherein the single crystal comprises silicon.
 29. A deviceaccording to claim 21, wherein said conductive material is connected toa channel stopper formed in said semiconductor circuit substrate.
 30. Adevice according to claim 21, wherein said conductive material isprovided on said first semiconductor region via an insulating layer. 31.A device according to claim 21, wherein said carrier multiplicationlayer multiplies carriers by an avalanche effect.
 32. A device accordingto claim 21, wherein said carrier multiplication layer has at least onestep-back structure.
 33. A device according to claim 21, wherein saidcarrier multiplication layer comprises at least one layer having amininum band gap of Eg2 and a maximum band gap of Eg3.
 34. A deviceaccording to claim 23, wherein the band gap of the layer continuouslychanges from Eg2 to Eg3.
 35. A device according to claim 23, wherein theenergy difference between Eg3 and Eg2 is equal to or greater than theionization energy.
 36. A device according to claim 21, wherein saidcarrier multiplication layer comprises a plurality of layers, eachhaving the minimum band gap Eg2 and the maximum band gap Eg3, andwherein the side of the minimum band gap Eg2 of at least one of theplurality of layers contacts the maximum band gap Eg3 of the adjacentlayer.
 37. A device according to claim 21, wherein said non-crystallinesemiconductor comprises one of an amorphous semiconductor, amicrocrystalline semiconductor and a polycrystalline semiconductor. 38.A device according to claim 22, wherein the thickness of a layer forforming the step-back structure is at least 50 Å and equal to or lessthan 1 μm.
 39. A device according to claim 21, wherein said lightabsorbing layer is provided at a side closer to incident light than saidcarrier multiplication layer.
 40. A device according to claim 21,wherein said connecting member is provided on the entire surfaces ofsaid accumulating portions.